Key system



y 29, 1959 J. GLASSMAN 3,457,746

. KEY SYSTEM Filed Sept. 1, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I0, 24, 2 9 vINVENTOR.

.1054 G'ZASJMAN v y 9, 1969 J. GLASSMAN 3,457,746

KEY SYSTEM Filed Sept. 1, 1967 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 4105-. 6LASSMAN United States Patent 3,457,746 KEY SYSTEM Joel Glassman, 1709Graybar Lane, Nashville, Tenn. 37215 Filed Sept. 1, 1967, Ser. No.664,994 Int. Cl. A43c 11/32 U.S. Cl. 70-456 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A key case includes a plurality of compartments for receivingkeys comprising grooved, notched shafts having rivet-like elementsmounted near one end thereof. The rivet elements slide lengthwisethrough associated slots in the key case to effect key selection andutilization.

This invention relates to key systems, and, more specifically, toimproved key and case arrangements which facilitate the transporting,use and identification of keys contained in such cases.

Conventionally, a key performs two functions. One is the decoding of alock security System. The other is the transferring of the appliedfinger torque with mechanical leverage to a latch to be released. Thedecoding key portion, i.e., the notched grooved shaft, comprises aboutone-third of the mass of a typical prior art key. The major portion ofthe key provides leverage for turning and operating the latch.

With a single key, the flared turning portion is of little consequence.However, when several keys are carried, the combined key flared portionsgive rise to substantial bulk and weight. Enclosing the keys in a casesimply increases the gross bulk.

Moreover, there is no uniformity to the shape of the flared key ends.Accordingly, key cases must accommodate the largest of Such shapes,thereby further adding to the mass of key cases. In addition, thevarying shaped flared key portions, and the mechanical devices typicallyfound in existing key cases, pose a continuing hazard of damage topockets and handbags.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved keyand key case arrangement.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to providekeys of a uniform small size which may be readily identified andselected, and easily employed to operate a corresponding lock.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following detailed description ofillustrative embodiments thereof presented hereinbelow in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURES 1A and 1B are side and edge views of an illustrative key 10 madein accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation view of a key case 20 embodying the principlesof the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of the key case 20 shown in FIGURE 2taken along the axis 3-3;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view of the key case 20 shown in FIGURE 2taken along the axis 44;

FIGURE 5 depicts an alternative form of key 40;

FIGURE 6 is an elevation View of an alternative form of key case 60embodying the principles of the present invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of the key case shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring now to FIGURES 1A and 1B, there is shown a key 10 made inaccordance with the principles of the present invention. The key 10includes a notched, grooved "ice shaft having mounted near one endthereof a rivet-like element 14 having an expanding head portion 16. Theelement 14 may comprise, for example, pin, rivet or screw devices. Thekey 10 may be fabricated from a blank of the requisite shape, or may beextracted from existing prior art keys by removing the extraneousmaterial generally indicated Within the dashed outline 12 in FIGURES 1Aand 1B. Such removal is easily accomplished with an inexpensive punchpress.

A plurality of keys 10 through 10 may be transported and used with thekey case 20 shown in FIGURES 2 through 4. The case 20 includes an outerhousing 22 which, together with an interior sheet member 29 discussedhereinafter, defines six key chambers 24 through 24 The outer peripheryof the housing 22 about each key chamber 24 contains a slot 26 whichextends to the rear of the housing 22, but which terminates short of thefront face thereof.

A cover 27 is mounted via a hinging pin 28 or the like at the rear faceof the key case 10 and is selectively rotatable either away from, or incovering overlapping relationship over the rear portion of the slots26,. Finally, the thin metallic sheet 29 is mounted in the center of thehousing 22 and has finger portions directed against the outer peripheryof each key chamber 24 As will become more clear from the discussionhereinafter, the fingers of the sheet 29 serve to isolate keys locatedin horizontally contiguous chambers 24 and 24 24 and 24 and 24 and 24Also, the metallic fingers bias keys in the respective chambers 26against the outer walls thereof.

For typical operation, the cover 27 of the case 20 is first rotated toan open position thus exposing the open slots 26. Six keys 10 through 10are then sequentially placed in the chambers 24 through 24 by insertingeach key shaft within the chamber 24 the body of the rivetmembers 14through the corresponding slot 26 and the expanded head portions 16outside the housing 22. Perferably, the notched surfaces of the keys 10all face in a like direction. After the six keys 10 are inserted in thecase 20, the cover 27 is closed. The keys 10 are thereby secured Withinthe case 20 since the rivet elements 14 thereon cannot translate pastthe cover 27.

In a carrying orientation, the expanded heads 16 on all the keys 10 arepushed against the cover 27, thereby sliding all the keys 10 to aposition entirely within the case 20. The keys are retained in thisposition by the urging of the metallic fingers of the sheet 29.

When a key 10 is desired to operate a lock, the expanded rivet head 16,mounted thereon is pushed until stopped by the housing 22 at the end ofthe associated slot 26,. The exposed key 10 is then put in the lock androtated with mechanical advantage by pressure applied to the compositecase housing 22.

According to one aspect of the present invention selection of thedesired key is easily accomplished, even in a totally dark environment.Simply feeling any one of the keys for the notched surface thereofidentifies the relative up direction. Once this is established thedesired key may simply be slid forward for use, assuming the key caseoperator is familiar with the relative positions of the keys within thechambers 24. Alternatively, expanded rivet heads 16 of a differinggeometry as shown in FIG- URE 2, or a unique identifying feature mounteddirectly on one face of the housing 22, may be employed to facilitatekey identification.

In an alternative form of the invention, keys 40 of the type as shown inFIGURE 5 may be employed in conjunction with the key case '60 shown inFIGURES 6 and 7. The key case comprises a channel member 61 having a keyretaining pin 63 therethrough, with the pin 63 comprising a split barhaving an air gap centrally located therein. The keys 40 include at oneend thereof a circular aperture 42 conforming to the circumference ofthe bar 63 and further include a conical slot 44.

To mount keys 40 in the case 60, each key is snapped on the rod 63 byvertically aligning the key with the aperture 63 in the orientationshown in FIGURE 7. The rod 63 is compressed by the urging of the conicalsection 44 thereabout until the key is snapped over the rod 63. The rod63 is released and expands to its nominal diameter when the hole 42 isdisposed thereabout. Each key 40 may then be rotated for storage withinthe channel 61 for storage and carriage, and rotated away from thechannel 61 when in use. It is noted that mechanical advantages may bederived by rotating the desired key 40 in an approximately orthogonalrelationship with the channel 61 when the key is utilized.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are onlyillustrative of the principles of the present invention. Numerous otherembodiments thereof may be devised by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a plurality of keys and a key case for including saidkeys, said keys having a shaft portion including an aperture near oneend thereof, said key case comprising a channel-like element and a pinextending across said channel and through the aperture included in eachof said keys, wherein said keys are characterized by a removed conicalslot portion extending from the periphery of said keys to said keyapertures, and wherein said pin is compressible and exhibits a nominal,uncompressed diameter greater than the smallest part of said removedconical slot in each of said keys but no greater in size than theapertures in said keys.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,800,843 4/ 193 1 Moulton.1,924,134 8/1933 Segal. 2,173,008 9/ 1939 Cheney. 2,180,717 11/1939Nelson. 2,270,621 1/ 1942 Brugnoni. 2,634,599 4/ 1953 Nicholson.2,795,128 6/1957 Ly. 3,354,678 11/1967 Stifelman.

FOREIGN PATENTS 631,526 1/1962 Italy.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner ROBERT L. WOLFE, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R.

